


One More Chance

by CharlotteAshmore



Series: One More Chance Verse [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Buttload of angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Episode: s01e12 Skin Deep, The Enchanted Forest, Torture by Clerics, True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-26 22:02:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16689715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlotteAshmore/pseuds/CharlotteAshmore
Summary: Regina has a plan to destroy the Dark One once and for all and knows his precious little maid is the one to help her do it. She never thought it would blow up so gloriously in her face.





	One More Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. This is a work of pure fiction. All characters and events depicted in this story are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
> 
> Warning: There are graphic depictions of the wounds Belle suffered at the hands of the clerics, so if you're squeamish, just don't read that part. I tried to be as gentle as I possibly could so as not to upset anyone. I assure you I don't like seeing her hurt any more than any of you.
> 
> A/N: This is a completely AU what if idea that came to me while I was watching Skin Deep … again. You may like it, or you may not, but I had to clear the evil plot bunny out of my head. There's already entirely too much floating around up there as it is. Hope you enjoy.

          Regina smiled, a vicious curving of her ruby lacquered lips as her carriage trundled up the mountain, the conveyance carrying her closer towards the great gray stone edifice looming on the horizon. Never before had a trip to the Dark Castle caused her such unbridled glee. Finally, she had the means to bring the twisted imp to his knees. The gods knew she'd been searching long enough to find the wherewithal for his destruction.  

          Her association with Rumpelstiltskin had brought her nothing but misery and despair. She'd watched as one after another of her dreams had fallen to ash. He was supposed to have helped her and he'd done nothing but molded her into something almost as despicable as himself.

          If only she hadn't called upon him, seeking knowledge to thwart her mother, she wouldn't be a shell of her former self. Now she was no better than Cora. Even with the magic she'd gained under his tutelage, she had yet to find any happiness. If he was so powerful, why couldn't he have brought her Daniel back to her?

          If it hadn't been for that brat Snow White spilling Regina's secrets to Cora, Daniel would still be alive, but for someone with the unimaginable power Rumpelstiltskin wielded, he should have been able to help her accomplish her heart's desire. Instead, through him, she'd met Jefferson, who in turn had brought that charlatan to conduct his experiments on her beloved … failed experiments.

          But she had every reason in the world to hate him now if she hadn't hated him enough before. Through his scheming, he'd laid a trap for her to render her powerless against Snow and her sniveling prince. It wasn't bad enough their armies had laid hers to waste, or that she should be grateful to the brat for sparing her life … a mistake Regina would surely find some way to make her regret.

          No, the imp had made it so she couldn't harm the Charming couple in this land. Another tedious chore she'd have to undertake in the coming weeks when her preparations got fully under way. She'd have to make a trip to the Forbidden Fortress to cajole Maleficent into returning the Dark Curse into her keeping. It would finally bring Regina her happy ending, she thought gleefully, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

          For now, however, she would concentrate on eliminating her foe. She would not embark on this new quest with him hanging over her head like an axe waiting to fall. He was too cunning and dangerous to have in this new land. Given free rein, even without his magic, he could easily destroy her. He needed to be put in his place before the curse was cast. And she knew just how to do it.

          If he hadn't cast his little maid from the castle, Regina was certain Belle would have succeeded in breaking the curse of the Dark One which held sway over him. But the girl had given up too easily, letting his cowardice and weakness chase her away. She still found it astonishing the girl could have ever fallen in love with the beast to begin with. There really was no accounting for taste.

          With a flick of her manicured nails, the doors of the Dark Castle opened easily to admit her as she disembarked from the sleek black carriage.  _Oh, he must really be in a mood to make it nearly effortless to gain entrance to his lair,_  she thought as she strode across the foyer. She wrinkled her nose at the blackened vase of roses set on the table in the entrance and continued on to the doors leading into the Great Hall where she was sure to find him at his favorite pastime.  _As if he needed to spin anymore gold._

          The almost imperceptible stiffening of his shoulders was the only acknowledgement he made to her presence in his domain as she slinked into the hall. "Flimsy locks," she taunted with a dry chuckle. "I have a deal to discuss. A certain … mermaid," she began, making her way to the waiting tea service on the long teak dining table.  _Let the games begin! No need to let him know of the real reason for my visit._

          The wheel continued to rotate beneath his clawed hand as he did his best to ignore her, not even turning to look in her direction. "I'm not dealing today," Rumpelstiltskin replied, his voice morose and lacking its usual impish cadence, that high-pitched timbre which instilled fear in the desperate souls with whom he dealt.

          "Are you angry with me?" Regina asked, pouring tea into her cup and frowning at the silver tea pot.  _What happened to the white one with the pretty blue design? It was much nicer._ "What is it this time?" she scoffed.

          "Your little deception failed," he hissed as he turned to sneer at her. "You'll never be more powerful than me. You can keep trying, dearie, but you're never gonna beat me."

          It took more willpower than she knew she possessed to stop herself from clapping her hands in delight. Instead, she clucked her tongue petulantly and said acrimoniously, "Oh, is this about that girl I met on the road? Hmm?" She dropped a sugar cube into her cup before adding a splash of cream, drawing out her jeering as long as possible. "What was her name? Margie?" She paused as if trying to remember. "Verna …"

          Regina hadn't really expected an answer, so was taken aback momentarily when he said, "Belle."

          She could almost feel pity for him … almost. The pain of Daniel's death, even after so many years, was still like a fresh knife wound to her battered heart. "Right," she agreed dryly, stirring her tea with a sluggish motion. "Well … you can rest assured I had nothing to do with that tragedy."

          Regina kept her smug smile of satisfaction hidden as she realized now she had his full attention. He turned from the wheel and approached her cautiously. "What tragedy?"

          She feigned a gasp of surprise, practically giddy with glee. "You don't know?" she asked, chuckling spitefully. "Wow. After she got home … her fiancé had gone missing. And after her …  _association_ with you, no one would want her, of course. Her father shunned her," she sneered her eyes darkening with just a touch of madness. "Cut her off, shut her out."

          With every word she could see the pain mark itself on his grey gold features. "So, she needs a-a home?" he asked. The hope in his voice was nearly too much for her, and she had to fight down a full-blown cackle.

          Her laughter was menacing and soft as it bubbled from her lips. "He was cruel to her. He locked her in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her soul … with scourges and flaying."

          She contemplated telling him she had thrown herself from that cursed tower Regina had found the girl in, to deliver the ultimate in suffering upon her former mentor, but that wasn't going to get her what she wanted. Knowing him, in his suffering, it would make him ten times worse than he already was. Belle had softened the mage in some ways and that would only be for Regina's benefit. But another taunt or two wouldn't be amiss in her opinion.

          "You're lying," he insisted, refusing to believe Maurice would have done that to his precious daughter.

          "Am I?" she asked, quirking an imperious brow. "How does it feel, Rumpel, to know her suffering is all your fault? You really should see the poor dear," she tsked. "For her to have suffered so … all because she dared to give her heart to a beast."

          The teacup fell from her fingertips as his hand closed over her throat, the blackened claws digging into her ivory flesh. "What do you know of her?" he hissed in a malevolent tone.

          Her dark sable eyes narrowed dangerously as her lips curled up into a smile. His grip loosened, and he shoved her away from him, knowing he wouldn't get any answers from a dead woman. "And just what would you give for such information, Rumpel?" she asked, smoothing her hand over her skirt. She cut him off as he opened his mouth to answer. "How about I give you this one for free."

          His hands were clenched into tight fists at his side to contain the magic he wished to unleash upon her. "You never give anything away for free, Regina."

          The queen sighed and retrieved her tea cup from the floor, swapping it out for a new one and preparing another cup of the steaming brew. "Just this once, I suppose, for old times' sake?" She reveled in the sight of him gnashing his teeth in vexation. "When I learned you had cast the poor girl out, I went to Avonlea to pay a call on my dear friend, Sir Maurice. He told me of his precious daughter, finally free of the beast, Rumpelstiltskin … but not. You see, you left your mark upon the girl for she fancied herself in love with you. Of course, Maurice couldn't stand it that his daughter had been enchanted to believe she loved you … for what else could it be but a spell?"

          Rumpelstiltskin swallowed thickly as he thought of what his girl had surely been put through at the hands of those demons posing as clergymen. He could feel the tears stinging his eyes, yet refused to let them fall in the presence of his adversary.

          Regina took a sip of her tea and smiled woefully at him over the rim of her cup. "He did give her to the clerics, Rumpel, and they were  _not_ kind in their treatment of her. I doubt her milky complexion will ever be the same … should she survive."

          "She's alive?"

          "Just barely," she said sympathetically. She really could sympathize with Belle, sharing their woeful experiences with the imp in common. "I was just in time."

          The mage felt his hackles rise. "What do you mean you were just in time, Regina?" he asked. He didn't want to think of his Belle in the hands of the demented queen.

          Regina smirked. "I placed a stasis spell on her until I could find someone to heal her. I can't do it alone with her as close to death as she is. It could very well kill me. If you could see her, you would understand. The damage to the girl is just too extensive."

          "Where. Is. She?" he asked in a clipped tone. His patience was quickly waning as panic rose to choke him. A stasis spell on a living being would only last so long.

          "Oh, she's quite safe … for now."

          "What is it you want, Regina?" he inquired, tired of playing her little games. With Belle's life on the line, time was of the essence.

          Regina chuckled venomously. "You mean what do I want in exchange for helping you heal your little chime?"

          He was so angry and filled with rage he didn't trust himself to speak and simply nodded.

          "You do realize you need my help? Of course, you don't - since you haven't seen the extent of the damage - so the first stipulation of our contract will be that you won't simply take her and kill me for bringing her to you in such a state."

          With a flourish of his hand, a contract appeared on the table, a purple quill steadily writing out the terms she dictated. "What else? Surely you're not going to give her back out of the goodness of your heart, your majesty, because we both know you don't possess any."

          Regina made him wait while she snatched a biscuit from the tray and nibbled at it thoughtfully. "When I cast this curse you gave me, Rumpel, I don't need you to constantly be a thorn in my side in this new land. There is only one way I will get what I want."

          "And that is?"

          "For you to be powerless, dear," she sneered. If it were possible, she would have thought he blanched beneath all that grey-gold skin. "Do what you should have done in the first place. Kiss her and let the magic take away your curse and all that precious power of yours. That is my price."

          The fingers of his right hand twitched, rubbing together against his thumb as he thought quickly. Everything was set in place for his curse to be cast. If he did lose his powers, in the new land there would still be ways to track down his son. It might take a bit longer than intended, but it would be possible. He'd let Belle go once, and he'd regretted it … he couldn't do it again. "On one condition."

          "You're not in any position to negotiate, Rumpel," Regina sneered at him, her ruby lips curling in a rather unattractive manner.

          "There's always room for negotiation, dearie. You're asking a lot from me, so I think it's only fair you grant one of mine," he countered. After all, he was the Dark One, the Spinner of Deals, the Trickster who rivaled Loki himself. It would be a cold day in hell before Regina got one over on him. She nodded, at least willing to listen. "You will let me write Belle and myself into the curse. You will not change a single word of what I choose for us and I give you my word I will not interfere with your machinations against Snow White in this new world."

          Regina pursed her lips as she thought it over. He would be powerless and out of her hair. What more could she ask. She waved a hand at the contract and his stipulation was added.

          It took all of his control not to giggle. He had her! Regina never was one to put enough precautions into her contracts and now she'd left herself wide open for interpretation, leaving him more loopholes than a wedge of Swiss cheese had holes. "Deal?"

          Regina added her name to the contract next to his and agreed. "Deal."

          "Now, where is she?" he asked, his stomach churning at the thought of having to see his girl wounded and tortured by those savages.

          Regina grinned. "She's in my carriage."

          "She's been here the entire time and you didn't say anything?! Gods, you're as bad as your mother!" he thundered as he stalked to the door. "Get your arse up to my tower and get what we need to begin. Salves, ointments, a mending potion to knit her skin back together, towels … go! And don't think to help yourself to anything besides what I'm sending you up there for, Regina, because I  _will_  know."

          She childishly stuck her tongue out at him as he swept out of the hall and she vanished herself in a plume of black smoke to the tower to carry out his wishes.

          Rumpelstiltskin drew a sharp breath and fought back tears of horror as he opened the door of Regina's sleek black carriage and took in the sight of his beloved. She was wrapped in a black velvet cloak and looked as if she could be sleeping, but she was so still he could barely make out the slow rise and fall of her chest with each breath she took. He would kill Maurice for this and every single living thing in the province, he thought as his base urge to rip and tear and kill rose up within him. It would be a fit punishment for what they'd done to his Belle.

          He lifted her gently and carefully into his arms and bore her back into the hall, gingerly laying her on the table which had been covered with a soft white cloth to shield her from the cold wood.

          He growled at Regina and brushed her hands away as she reached to help him remove the cloak covering Belle's still form. "I was only trying to assist you," she said defensively, put out by his animosity.

          "Go, eat something. You'll need your strength if we're to do this," he commanded, waving his hand to a table set beside his favorite chair by the hearth.

          Regina looked down at the tray he'd prepared for her with some cured ham, sliced cheese and warm bread and a steaming bowl of lamb stew. "You expect me to eat this … this peasant fare?"

          His eyes were twin glowing orbs of hard amber as they swung to stab her with his gaze. "Eat, Regina, or I will not be held responsible for what I do to you should you disobey me."

          She hastily shoved a piece of ham into her mouth and began chewing. She didn't think she'd ever seen him show so much emotion before in her presence. He was always so composed, so in control and she had to admit she was frightened of him.

          Rumpelstiltskin deftly peeled the cloak away from Belle and choked back a horrified gasp. She was dressed in a ragged shift which must have been white at one time. Now it was torn and clinging in spots to her flesh with dried blood. Bruises covered her arms and legs leaving patches of her alabaster skin marked with splotches of purple, yellow and green. He wanted to weep for what they had done to her, gather her into his arms and hold her close. He wanted to tell her how he loved her and apologize for sending her away until he had no breath left in which to do so, but he had to focus on making her well.

          If her front looked this bad, he was terrified to see her back. He magicked up a basin of warm water and soaked one of the towels Regina had collected for his use, wringing it out. He bathed her face, her neck and every inch of skin exposed to him. He hesitated, his hand hovering over the very edge of her bodice. He didn't want to make her vulnerable to Regina, but he didn't feel as though he had a choice. It was bad enough he would have to see her in all her naked splendor, but he could ask for her forgiveness once she was well and whole again.

          Gently he bathed her and lifted her in his arms and had Regina remove the shredded shift and cloak from beneath her, so he could lay her face down on the pristine white cloth. Regina turned away as Belle’s back was bared to their view. She felt as though she were going to be violently ill, her stomach roiling while Rumpelstiltskin cursed every man, woman and creepy crawly in the province of Avonlea, swearing revenge on them for mutilating his beloved.

          Regina groaned. "Gods, now I wish I hadn't eaten."

          "Out! Go into the garden or the courtyard and take deep breaths, but hold onto what you ate, Regina," he said, already digging shredded pieces of Belle's shift out of the deep gashes on her back the scourge had made. He had to fight back tears as he worked. He knew she couldn't feel the tender touches he applied to her torn flesh, but he could imagine the agony she'd suffered under the ministrations of the so-called holy men. He let out a roar of outrage as he dug a piece of glass from a particularly deep wound. It must have worked itself loose from the leather strap and embedded itself in her skin.

          He bowed his head and pressed a kiss to the shell of her ear. "I'm so sorry, my Belle. If I had known …" A choked sob erupted from his throat before he forced himself to get his emotions in check. "I will make it better, my love, I promise."

          He worked for the better part of two hours, refusing to allow Regina to take over so he could rest and eat. He insisted he do it all. Regina could help him with the magic he needed to see his Belle healed, but he would do the grunt work. When he'd done all he could to piece her back together, he covered her in a thick layer of salve he'd made from his healing herbs and magic to speed recovery for minor cuts and abrasions. It would simply aid the magic needed to keep her from scarring too badly. It was the scars in her mind which worried him the most. He doubted even he was powerful enough to take away the memories of her torture.

          Rumpelstiltskin pulled the chair Regina had sat on earlier close to the table and watched over his Belle as he wolfed down a bowl of lamb stew. It was rich and hearty and yet it tasted like ash in his mouth because of his worry over his beloved girl. It was his fault. If he hadn't sent her away, none of this would be necessary. She should have been able to stay in the castle with him under his protection. Why hadn't he just taken what she'd offered so sweetly?  _Because you're a bloody fool and a coward_ , the Dark One whispered in his mind.  _You don't deserve her love._

          He pushed his chair back and moved across the room on silent feet to wake Regina where she'd fallen asleep on the chaise. He shook her gently, more than she deserved, he thought. "Regina, dearie, waken up. It's time," he said. "Waken up, now."

          "Did you rest?" she asked around a wide yawn as she sat up and stretched the kinks from her tired muscles.

          "I don't need as much as you do, dearie; I'll be fine."

          "But you know once we start, we can't stop so you can take a nap, Rumpel," she said petulantly as she rose and followed him back to the injured girl. He didn't answer her, but took his place on one side of the table, waiting for her to take her place on the other.

          "When we bring her out of the stasis spell, I want to keep her asleep until I can dress her and put her in her own bed. Perhaps if she wakes in familiar surroundings -" he stopped speaking, realizing he didn't need Regina to know what he wanted to do.

          For the first time in more years than she cared to remember, Regina felt a twinge of guilt over her actions. She hadn't thought the Dark One capable of such a weak emotion as love, but she could see it written in every line on his face. They really did share true love and it made her long for Daniel all the more. But no matter her feelings on the matter, she couldn't go back on the deal and snatch this away from her former master. He'd surely kill her and if he didn't, she really didn't want to live with the guilt.

          Rumpelstiltskin stretched out his hands and took Regina's in his firm grasp, his determined amber eyes meeting her cold sable gaze. "I know you're only doing this because of the deal, dearie, but —"

          "But what?" she asked when he didn't finish his thought.

          "Thank you … for helping my Belle." His eyes closed, not wanting to see the ridicule she surely held for him in her gaze and focused on the healing spell which would put his beloved to rights.

          Regina pushed her astonishment aside and gasped as she felt tendrils of his magic flow through her and then through their joined hands and into the girl lying prone on the table. She couldn't ever remember a spell so complex she'd had to share her magic with anyone to make it work.

          They worked for hours, pumping untold magical resources into the unconscious girl, watching silently as her flesh knitted back together. At one point, Regina felt as though the only way she remained on her feet was because Rumpelstiltskin was holding onto her. She'd never felt so weak. When it was over, and he let go of her hands, they both collapsed to the thick Agrabahan rug covering the cold stones of the Great Hall in exhaustion.

          Rumpelstiltskin dragged himself to his feet and lifted the unconscious queen in his arms, depositing her on the chaise and covering her with a throw blanket. She would no doubt sleep until morning. She may have had selfish reasons for doing what she did, but he couldn't stop himself from being grateful for it. He left her there and moved to Belle's side, draping a thick wool blanket about her naked form and lifting her in his arms. He felt as though his feet were leaden as he carried her up two flights of stairs and down three corridors before he reached her room. All he wanted to do was sleep, but her needs came first. He dressed her in a modest peach silk nightgown with lace at the collar and the cuffs of the long sleeves and tucked her beneath the coverlet before breathing a sigh of relief.

          She would wake on her own in a few hours, but she would be as weak as a kitten for days before she would regain her full strength. But she was home with him in the Dark Castle and he wouldn't be letting her go ever again. He would worry about whether or not she could ever forgive him in the morning. He climbed atop the coverlet and wrapped himself around her in a protective embrace, needing the reassurance of her touch while he slept to keep the nightmares at bay. There would be no more worrying tonight … she was home.

 

*.*.*

 

          Belle frowned deeply as her eyes fluttered open and she took in the familiar surroundings. She was in her bedroom in the Dark Castle and for the life of her she couldn't remember how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered was the queen coming to speak with the clerics in her tower. How could she have ended up back in Rumpelstiltskin's home?

          She gingerly shrugged her shoulders and waited for the pain to travel down her spine and shoot out to her extremities. Something shifted against her and her eyes widened as they swung to Rumpelstiltskin wrapped around her, one arm about her shoulders, the other slung across her waist and his legs thrown over both of hers. He had discarded his boots and waistcoat and was wearing only his silk shirt, this one black shot through with gold thread and his tight leather breeches. She could only come to one conclusion … either she was having a really wonderfully realistic dream and would wake in her tower for more torture or she was dead, and this was her idea of heaven.

          But if she were dead and he were there with her …

          Belle began to cry, great gasping, heaving sobs which roused her sorcerer from a sound sleep as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

          "Belle …" he breathed against her crown as he nuzzled her curls. "Belle, it's alright, darling, don't cry," he crooned.

          "No, it’s not," came her muffled reply, refusing to lessen the grip she had on him.

          "Belle, love, you're safe now. Please don't cry. Look at me," he said gently, stroking his hand over her hair and down the length of her now unmarred back.

          "Please, Belle."

          "S'not real. You're not really here, and if you are then you died t-too," she wailed. "If this was real you wouldn't be holding me, you wouldn't be whispering endearments in my ear, and you certainly wouldn't be kissing my hair."

          He felt like a complete ass. He'd missed out on so much time with her when he should have been doing exactly the things she'd accused him of. "I was a fool, my darling. I never should have made you go." He bit back a groan as her words registered on him. "And you didn't die. You're here with me and I'm not going to let you go again."

          She cried harder, soaking the front of his shirt with her tears. "I'm going to wake up alone in my tower and you won't be real."

          He sighed heavily and shook his head, knowing what was necessary but really not wanting to do it. He stroked his hand down the curve of her back and rested it over the swell of her bottom before giving it a hard pinch. Her head darted up to glare at him accusingly, her cerulean eyes flashing icy daggers at him. "OW! That bloody well hurt!"

          "Would I have done that if you were dreaming … or dead?" he asked, trying to make her see reason. “Dreams don’t hurt, dear one.”

          She shook her head and asked, "I'm really here? You're really here with me?" She chewed thoughtfully at her lower lip as she awaited his answer.

          "Yes, my Belle."

          "But why? You said your power meant more to you than me … y-you didn't want me," she whispered tentatively, lowering her eyes and trying to put some distance between them, her hands pushing lightly at his chest.

          "I lied, sweetheart. I was afraid, and I lied to you."

          She stopped trying to escape his embrace and relaxed back into his chest, sighing in relief. "And?"

          "And … uh … I was a fool for making you leave."

          "And?"

          "Um … if you agree to stay here with me, I won't make you clean anymore?"

          Belle pinched his side just below his ribs causing him to grunt in pain. "Rumpelstiltskin!"

          He cupped her face in his hands and pressed a kiss to each corner of her mouth, his lips fleeting so as not to let her kiss away his curse before he was ready. "And … I love you, my Belle."

          Belle searched his face, a weary smile upon her lips. "And yet you won't kiss me. You'll still always choose power over love." She placed a finger to his lips to stop the barrage of words threatening to spill from his lips. "It's alright, I understand. We don't have to. You _do_ know I never wanted to take your power from you? I was just trying to help you."

          "And I panicked. I panicked, and I took out my fears on you."

          "I'm sorry I called you a coward."

          He rose from the bed and hunted around in the dark for his boots, pulling them onto his feet and then going to the wardrobe to fetch her robe to wrap Belle in before swinging her into his arms. "It's no matter, dearest, you were right. But I will never choose my power over you again."

          Belle clung to his shoulders as he left her bedroom and began his descent down to the first floor of the castle. "I don't want you to have to choose, Rumpel."

          "Belle, do remember how you got here?"

          "No, the last I remember was the queen coming to speak with the clerics," she said, her mind still fuzzy on the details.

          "She is the one who returned you to me. You were near death and I wouldn't have been able to heal you by myself. I needed her," he admitted ruefully.

          "Oh, Rumpel, no. Now you owe her. Please tell me you didn't make a deal with … of course, you did, otherwise I wouldn't be here," she replied dryly. "What did you promise the witch?"

          "That I would give up my curse for her help. If she would help me restore you, I would let you break my curse," he confessed, refusing to meet her eyes. He wasn't even certain she still loved him. Who could say she could still break his curse?

          Belle tilted his chin to meet her worried gaze. "But you said she meant to destroy you. You blamed me for conspiring with her. Why would you do this?"

          "I was foolish to cast you out, my Belle. I couldn't lose you again to death."

          She pressed her brow to his as the double doors leading in the Great Hall opened to admit them. "I love you, Rumpelstiltskin," she whispered, her voice fraught with emotion.

"How sweet," Regina said from where she sat next to the hearth holding a cool cloth to her head, her eyes closed. "Shall we get on with this, so I can return to my own castle and a much-needed headache powder?"

          Rumpelstiltskin sat down in the chair opposite her and settled Belle firmly on his lap, one arm still around her shoulders and the other draped over her legs in a possessive manner. He was so happy to have his beloved returned to him even Regina's sharp biting manner couldn't sour his mood. He thought he'd be more upset with losing his curse, but he found he wasn't.

          "Alright, your majesty, as per the terms of the contract, Belle's kiss has to break my curse. That's it, come what may, correct?" he asked, wording his statement carefully.

          "Yes, she has to rid you of the curse and I already helped you heal her. The only other part is to allow you to invent your lives under the curse," she said, her impatience showing.

          "What curse?!" Belle asked in alarm, her gaze swinging back and forth between her imp and the queen.

          "Calm yourself, dearest, I'll explain later," he assured her, his hand stroking over her leg from hip to knee. "I promise."

          "Oh, would you get on with it?" Regina asked, her ruby lips curling up in a sneer.

          Belle blushed prettily and leaned close to his ear to whisper, "Do we have to do it in front of her?"

          Rumpelstiltskin giggled, the sound trilling throughout the cavernous room and drawing a groan from Regina, her head still pounding. "What's the matter, love, ashamed of me?"

          "Of course, not!" Belle huffed indignantly.

          Before Regina could protest further, he curled his hand around the nape of Belle's neck and pulled her forward, claiming her lips with his own. This time he didn't fight against the dizziness which threatened to engulf him. He ignored the shrieking of the Dark One in his mind, the voice which had been with him for three centuries silenced at last as his lips molded firmly against Belle's.

          Belle didn't care one way or the other whether his curse broke or not. She was too lost in the sensations swirling within her as her lips slid sensuously against his. Her lips parted on a delighted gasp as his tongue snaked out to swipe across her bottom lip and then delve into the hot inner recesses of her mouth. She forgot they had an audience and just let herself feel the heat pooling in her belly, making her limbs lethargic. She never wanted the sensation to end.

          Regina's smug tone brought Belle back to awareness and she drew away from Rumpelstiltskin and stared into his whiskey brown eyes in amazement. "Seems there's a sucker born every minute, Rumpel. The girl really  _does_  love you."

          He nipped at Belle's lower lip and smiled. "I would seem so," he murmured. But he didn't feel any different. Only the absence of that infernal whisper in his mind seemed to be missing. Taking a chance he was correct, he concentrated and conjured a single long stemmed red rose into the hand resting against Belle's hip. "For you, dearest," he murmured softly, trailing the bloom over her nose.

          "How did you do that!? Your curse is broken, your magic should be gone," Regina shrieked. "You tricked me. You've simply glamoured yourself."

          "Regina, dearie," he said patiently,. "you witnessed it yourself. Belle. Broke. My. Curse. It's not my fault the magic chose to remain."

          "Once you've been touched by magic, it will remain with you," Belle said incredulously, remembering the volume on basic magic Rumpelstiltskin had allowed her to read when she'd questioned him on how he trained an apprentice.

          "Magic is everywhere, your majesty. It is in all things; the air, the earth, water and fire. It lives and breathes, and it is up to the sorcerer to mold it into something to be used. It is to be treated with respect and love, to be bent to the will of its master. Apparently, my magic was loathe to leave me," he shrugged.

          Regina was nearly vibrating with outrage. "No, it's a glamour," she insisted, rising to her feet to confront him.

          The cold fury in Rumpelstiltskin's dark gaze stopped her from moving another step. He may be a lot of things - things he wasn't proud of - but he was not a liar. With a flick of his wrist, the Dark One's dagger appeared in his outstretched hand as he held it out to the queen. "See for yourself, Regina."

          Regina snatched it from him, her fingers wrapping firmly around the hilt. His name was no longer etched into the blade. No magic raced along her arm as she held the fabled kris dagger. He could no longer be controlled by it. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. Once again, he'd proven he was smarter, wiser and much more cunning than she was.  _It's not fair!_ Why should he always get exactly what he wanted, and she left with nothing but simmering anger? And now, she was bound by that blasted contract she herself had insisted upon.

          Rumpelstiltskin reached out and grabbed her wrist in an iron grip as she stalked past him on her way to the door. She needed to leave before she embarrassed herself further. "Regina, wait."

          "Why? So you can gloat at my failure?" she asked, turning her face away from him and brushing angrily at the tears which gathered in the corner of her eyes with her free hand.

          "No, dearie. You've done me a great service and I will be eternally grateful. If you hold true to your word, I will grant you one favor," he said, trying not to choke on the words, knowing it was the right thing to do but firm in the knowledge he was likely to regret it.

          She straightened her shoulders and curved her lips in a smile of pure venom. "Thank you, Rumpel. I'll hold you to that … very soon."

          Belle felt the tension leave his shoulders as the doors closed behind Regina's retreating back and he pulled her closer to rest his head against her shoulder. They simply held each other for a long moment, neither of them speaking as they enjoyed the feeling of being reunited and free to just be.

          "Are you terribly disappointed?" he asked, breaking the silence which had fallen between them.

          "I don't understand."

          "That I look like —"

          She kissed him, cutting off his fears and his words with her soft lips. "No. It doesn't matter to me if you wear the tanned skin of a man or the gold flecked skin of the Dark One, Rumpelstiltskin. You are now and will always be the man I love … here," she explained, resting her small hand on his chest over his heart. "And I find you handsome in either form … very pleasing to the eye."

          He snorted dubiously and rose from the chair with her in his arms once more. "I'll remember you said that."

          "Where are we going?" she asked, clinging to his shoulders, her lips teasing the sensitive spot she'd discovered just beneath his left ear.

          "Well I happen to be famished and you probably are as well. I thought we'd see what we can find in the kitchen to nibble on. But if you keep that up," he said, referring to her soft lips caressing his flesh, "we can always go back to bed."

          She hummed her pleasure and stroked her tongue over the spot she'd been worrying with her sharp teeth. It was all the answer he needed, more than agreeing with her. They would have time later to discuss the curse and Baelfire and anything else she might desire to know. He would make her tell him what had happened to her so her father and the demons he'd set upon her could be dealt with to his satisfaction. He would not let what they had done to her stand.

          They would have time to satisfy their hunger for food, but just now they had weeks of separation to make up for and he was sure it would take quite some time. His last thought before a plume of violet smoke enveloped them was … _Poor Regina, foiled again._

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So, just a little o/s that was romping around in my head. I so hope you enjoyed it bc I had a great time writing it for you. I would love to know whether you loved it or hated it, but either way, I thank you for taking the time to read it. You guys are the absolute best to put up with me. xoxo


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